A Not So Perfect Child
by Aislinn Silver
Summary: Tamaki, the Prince of Ouran Academy is the smartest, most talented and most adored person in school. But something isn't right and Haruhi is determined to figure out the story behind Tamaki Suoh, if it's the last thing she does. OOC AH
1. Coping After a Disaster

**Hey guys, Aislinn Silver here. This is my first Ouran fic so I hope you like it. I don't have a set updating schedule so I can't really give you a time frame for how this story is going to go. There is emotional abuse in this story so if you don't like that kind of thing; this is not the story for you. This will be in Haruhi's POV. **

**If anyone wants to beta this story, I'm all for it. I can't stand spelling and grammar mistakes and I would like to have someone who wants to look for them. If you would like to beta this, please let me know and I will get back to you as soon as possible.**

**For the record, I have no problem with flames as long as they are constructive. Do not just write a review about how much you hate this story without explaining why. Also, if you have questions feel free to PM me and I will answer you ASAP.**

**That's all I have to say right now, for questions, before you ask, read the bottom AN. **

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><p><em>Haruhi walked to the front door as her father closed the door behind him. He was two hours later than usual and she had started to worry about him. His face was drawn tight and she could see his body shaking. She walked up to him and hugged his legs.<em>

"_Otoo-chan, you're late, what's wrong?"_

_Ryoji bent to pick her up and hugged her tight. Haruhi could barely breathe but she let him hold her because she knew that he was sad. He stroked her hair and muttered softly into her shirt as he rocked her back and forth. After a few minutes, he looked at her and his eyes were dead. Ryoji's eyes were always full of life and a childlike innocence that Haruhi loved to see. Her father was a child in an adult's body and it was a trait that her mother absolutely cherished. To see that innocence gone all of a sudden was a shock and Haruhi knew that something was very wrong._

"_Haru–chan, there's something I have to tell you."The weight behind his words was palpable. Haruhi knew that what he was about to say was very important and that she would have to listen close. Haruhi may have been four years old, but she knew that what he was about to tell her would be bad. _

"_It's okaa-san; she's… she's…"_

_She kissed his cheek in support, Otoo-chan always stuttered when he knew that something would upset her. She grew more and more worried as he continued to stutter to the point where his words became unintelligible and even more tears fell from his eyes. _

"_Dad, what happened, where's Mom?"_

_He immediately broke into sobs. He was still muttering under his breath and Haruhi felt her stomach drop. She had never seen her father cry before and the sight was heart wrenching. He pulled her even closer and placed his hand on her cheek. He stroked her cheekbones with his thumb and moved the hair out of her face. He was trying to prolong this. He didn't want to have to tell his daughter the terrible news. He didn't want to watch all of the happiness drain from her eyes. He didn't want to watch the child-like innocence she had shatter right in front of him. He wanted to shield his little girl from everything but he knew that right now was the one time he could not protect her from the harsh world. After this moment, Haruhi was going to have to grow up fast and her life as she knows it will be forever altered. At the tender age of four, Haruhi was going to experience something many people four times her age have yet to experience. _

_She was going to experience loss._

_He forced her to meet his pained gaze and watched her carefully for a few moments. When he found what he was looking for, he opened his mouth,_

"_Sweetheart, Mommy is dead."There it was. He could never take back that moment. This would be the last time that the Fujioka family was completely happy without a care in the world. This would be the last time that he would hear Haruhi laugh carelessly because she had been untainted by the cruelty in this world. His little girl would never be the same again._

_She stared at him for what felt like an eternity but was merely a few seconds as the words played in her head. _

Mommy's dead.

_No more waking her up for breakfast in bed. No more early morning kisses before she went to work. No more showing up at her job for lunch because she missed her. No more dinners together as a family. No more of her singing as she cleaned up on the weekends. All of it was gone, ripped from her tiny little hands before she could truly appreciate it._

_She looked up at him, hoping this was some kind of cruel joke and that in a few minutes Okaa-chan would walk in the door, scoop her up and sing her favorite song while she danced on her feet in the living room. _

_One look in her father's eyes and she knew that he was completely serious. She was expecting to cry, but all she felt was numb. She felt a part of her shrivel up and die but she couldn't cry. She felt no emotion, just an emptiness that she knew, even at her age, would never be completely filled. She tried to search for something, anything that would make her have a normal reaction to the death of her mother but nothing came. She looked at her father and couldn't help but feel guilty. Here he was crying his eyes out and she couldn't shed a single tear. What kind of a daughter is she? She hugged him and said in a voice that was completely devoid of emotion,_

"_I guess it's just me and you now Otoo-chan."_

_Her father just stood still is shock. He had prepared himself for tears. He was prepared to help her start to put herself back together after she fell apart. He was not prepared for the maturity her voice held. He couldn't believe his eyes. It was as though his four year old daughter just aged twenty years instantly. His arms tightened around her and he buried his face in her neck. This was only the beginning. His little girl has already snapped out of her childish fantasy and has now understood the corruption the world held. She will never be able to be without a care in the world ever again. His daughter's eyes will not have the innocence of a child anymore. They will be filled with the pain and struggle of someone who lost someone they hold dear and have no way of ever getting them back. Haruhi learned a very important lesson that night. She learned that you don't always get your way. Sometimes life is hard and you have to learn to get through it, perhaps not unscathed, but alive and willing to get up, dust yourself off, and move on. He looked at her and prepared himself for the future. It was his job now to raise his little girl into a woman that Kotoko would be proud of. He would make sure that she was happy._

"_Hai, Haru-chan, it's just us now."_

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><p>Haruhi woke to her alarm clock ringing. She had the same dream every night since that night. Since she heard the news, she had never shed a tear. She preferred to take that grief and put it into something more productive, school and work. She was top of her class and it was her academic success that got her a scholarship to Ouran Academy, one of the best schools in Japan. Today was her first day of school and she would make sure that she remained top of her class. She had to make her mother proud. She wanted to make everyone proud.<p>

She got up and took a shower being sure to thoroughly wash her hair, the one physical sign of her grief. She decided that as a tribute to her mother she would never cut her hair. Her mother's hair was long, beautiful, and absolutely feminine, just as she herself was. She was known for her great taste in fashion and her impeccable makeup. She made sure to look her absolute best at every given opportunity. Haruhi was not very feminine but her hair was the one bit of femininity she and her father allowed. It made her feel close to her mother in some small way. It was the one thing she made sure was taken very good care of. She made sure it was pristine. She put on her clothes, a baggy long sleeved shirt, men's trousers, and her loafers. She knew she dressed like a man and she didn't care. Her mother dressed like a woman and it was the reason for her death. As she brushed her hair she looked at her face in the mirror. She looked just like her mother but one couldn't tell because she absolutely refused to wear makeup. Her lips were chapped, her eyes were muddy and cheeks still held the childish roundness as opposed to her mother's hollow cheeks. Her only saving grace was her long luxurious brown hair. It reached the bottom of her behind in flowing curls. However, she hid this by wrapping it in a bun every day. No one knew how long her hair was and that was how she planned to keep it. She would not suffer the same fate as her mother.

She wrapped up her hair and secured it with a pin. She looked absolutely androgynous. And that's exactly how she wanted it. There was no way that anyone would find her even mildly attractive. She would not have to worry about whether someone would hit on her or try to ask her on a date. She didn't want to be attractive. She didn't want to be noticed. She didn't want to turn heads as she walked down the street. She wanted to fade into the background. She wanted to repulse men.

She made her way to the kitchen and smiled as she saw her father's outfit. He was feminine enough for the both of them. Once her mother died, he insisted on wearing her clothes and perfume to stay close to her as a way of coping. He got a job at a transvestite bar so that he wouldn't have to change his clothes for work and quickly grew into a female in a man's body. Sometimes he was teased for it but he never let it bother him. He knew that Kotoko would have never had a problem with it as she deeply loved him as a person. In the end that was all that mattered. Haruhi happened to love it as it showed that he was gaining back his enthusiasm for life. If this was the way he wanted to show it then so be it. Today he was wearing her mother's favorite blouse. It was a blush pink color and it wrapped around the waist and tied on the side in a very feminine bow. His skirt was white and stopped at the knee and he wore her mother's favorite pair of pink five inch heels. He wore red lipstick and a bit of eyeliner to complete the look. He also grew out his hair and it now reached his lower back and fell in curls just as Haruhi's did. Today it was loose and bounced around with him as he cooked breakfast.

He turned around and scooped Haruhi into a strong hug that revealed his true gender. That was the one thing that did not change about her dad. He hugged as though he never knew when he was going to see you again. This was probably due to Kotoko's death but he gave the best hugs so Haruhi never complained. He insisted on hugging her every morning before she left and every night when she got home. When she asked him about it, he said that he wanted to make sure that she knew he loved her everyday so that it something happened, he wouldn't have to worry as much.

"Good morning sweetheart I made your favorite!"

Haruhi couldn't fight the smile on her face. Her father's enthusiasm for life never failed to make her happy. He still missed his wife, that much was obvious, but he has moved to a place where he can enjoy life again and Haruhi was so glad that he has a reason to smile again. He fell into a deep depression after her mother died and she had to force him to eat and give him pills so that he could sleep. He didn't get back on his feet for another six months but jumped into gear when he realized that he had to take care of Haruhi by himself.

"Thanks Oto-chan."

He smiled and patted her head as she sat down across from him to eat.

"So, are you ready for your first day at Ouran Academy?"

"More than ready."

He put his hand on top of hers, "I know you will do well with your studies, that's not what I'm worried about. I know you like being by yourself but I want you to make a few friends this year, Haruhi. I worry about you." Haruhi had always been a bit of a loner and while he knew that she was social when necessary. He also knew that Haruhi was a bit too independent and he wanted to know that she had some quality friends that would watch out for her when he was not able to.

She squeezed his hand in reassurance. "Don't, I will be fine. You raised me well."

She stood up and grabbed her bag, "I better get going, I want to get there a little early."

He stood immediately and pulled her into another bone-crushing hug. "Be careful on your way home Haru-chan. I can't lose you." He kissed her hair.

She smiled at him, "I promise."

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><p>When she got to the school, she couldn't believe her eyes. It was stunning. The building was a light pink with gold accents throughout. There were seven floors and more windows than she could count. In the front, there was a fountain that poured into a large pond. Water lilies rested on the water that reflected the sun. The landscaping was impeccable and there was not a wilted plant to be seen. She could see where the money was spent and immediately understood why this school was so expensive. On top of its beauty, Ouran Academy had one of the best education programs in Japan. She wanted to become a lawyer and this school was prestigious enough to get her into a respectable college. As she walked through the halls, she perused the artwork on the walls and the fine materials used. This school was fit for royalty, and it was fitting that the richest people attended this school. She felt honored in a way that she was able to attend such a school, where money was no option and where poverty was merely a concept that was understood, not experienced. When she walked through the door, she spotted the teacher, a young man with a kind face, and walked toward him.<p>

"Hello, sir, I'm Haruhi Fujioka. I'm a new-"

"Oh yes Ms. Fujioka, the honor student. I'm glad to meet you. I'm Mr. Ukitake. If you would please have a seat next to the Hitachiin twins."

She made her way to the twins and when she sat down; they turned toward her with sinister smiles on their faces.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, we are the Hitachiin twins. This is Hikaru and I am Kaoru." She immediately noticed that the only difference between them was the part in their hair. They both had bronze hair that was long and unruly. It curled slightly around their ears. Their skin was pale but very well taken care of. They were tall but thin and their eyes were an unusual yellow gold that reminded her of a cat. Their teeth were pristine but their smiles were mischievous. All in all they were quite attractive but she could sense that they were most definitely troublemakers.

"Ohayo, I'm Haruhi Fujioka."

Their smile grew wider as they looked her up and down. "Well Haru-chan, we simply must ask why you insisted on dressing like a man today. Do you enjoy looking like a lesbian?"

Their ability to talk in perfect harmony only made the insult seem more severe. However, Haruhi took it in stride and smoothly replied, "That's not important Hitachiin-san. Isn't it the inside that counts?"

They immediately laughed and wrapped their arms around her shoulder; Hikaru tisked, "Oh Haru-chan, surely you know that only ugly people believe that. It's us pretty people that know it's a load of crap. Beauty is a force and only those who have it realize just how important it really it."

Kaoru frowned as he took in her frumpy appearance, "Exactly. You know you actually have the potential to be gorgeous in a cute and simple way, but you hide everything with your terrible clothing and horrible upkeep. Are those lips chapped? That is absolutely unacceptable. I cannot believe you wore such a baggy sweater, are you trying to hide your feminine physique?"

As they assaulted her with insults and criticized her appearance down to the bone, Haruhi couldn't help but smile. Even though the twins were directly insulting her, she could tell that they didn't mean any harm and that they were just naturally blunt, no nonsense people. Besides, she meant what she had said. Her appearance means nothing to her. She didn't want attention and she would ensure that she will never get it. She would never end up like her mother. She could see herself becoming friends with these twins.

"I don't care about my looks. That's not what I came here for. I am worried about my studies."

They sent each other a look and shrugged. Then they turned to face her, with smiles on their faces.

"We like you."

Class began and as the teacher went through the lesson, Haruhi smiled to herself. She could get used to this. Her mother would be so proud of her. She promised herself that she would not lose focus and that she will not let anything get in the way of her education as she had to make her mother proud. She couldn't let her or her father down.

The work was more challenging than she expected but it was still fairly simple for her. She had always been an intelligent girl but she was never arrogant about it. She quietly became top of her class and would help anyone who asked her for assistance. She saw her intellect as a gift, not something to hold over anyone's head.

She took notes and kept her focus. She would make sure she did her best.

The rest of school was pretty uneventful but she felt even surer about her decision to go to Ouran Academy. This school will definitely help her in her master plan of getting into a prestigious college. Hikaru and Kaoru spent the rest of class pointing out the problems with her appearance and all she could do was laugh. They begged her to let them give her a makeover and she adamantly refused. They sulked for a while and went right back to criticizing her outfit. It was amazing the amount of things they found wrong with it from the fabric to the cut even to the thread count. Haruhi had never put much though into her clothing and to know that some people would know so much about it was a bit of a shock to her.

When the final bell rang, Haruhi stood and began gathering her things. The twins walked up to her and smiled.

"Haru-chan, you should come to the host club meeting with us. It's a lot of fun and you look like you could use a bit of fun, and some moisturizer."

She smiled slightly, "As amazing as that sounds, I have to work."

They frowned and tilted their heads to the side. "What do you mean work? Are your parents making you take over the company or something?"

She laughed, "No, I'm not rich. I got into this school on a scholarship and in order to help make ends meet, I work at a café."

Their eyes lit up, "What café? We'll get the host club to visit!"

"It's called Café Au Lait"

"Ooh French! We'll be there."

They quickly dashed out of the classroom.

Haruhi shook her head; these two are going to be the death of her.

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><p>Haruhi carefully squeezed the frosting into the shape of a perfect heart on the cake. She loved her job as it paid well and gave her the opportunity to withdraw within herself. She kept an eye on the pans on the burner while she created her next masterpiece. She was a gifted cook and she loved to get feedback on a particular dish. She had started working at Café Au Lait when she was fourteen to help her father pay the bills. It started as merely a way to make money, but she grew to actually love her job. She moved a stray piece of hair out of her eyes and began dishing the food as the waitresses came to deliver them.<p>

All of the people she worked with were kind-hearted and all around great people. They treated her like a little sister, as all of them were several years older than her, and made sure that she didn't push herself too hard. When business slowed down, they made her go on break and eat dinner.

As she made her way to one of the tables, she spotted Hikaru and Kaoru with three other people. One was small and very adorable. He looked like a little kid. He had blonde hair and gold eyes but they were darker than the twins. He was smiling constantly and seemed like a bubbly kind of guy. Next to him was a tall boy with dark hair and dark eyes. His skin was tanned and he seemed very stoic in nature. The other was pale with dark hair and eyes. He wore glasses and seemed to be bored as he typed away at his laptop. All of them were very good looking and the entire table was garnering a lot of female attention. Even the waitresses were caught in their charms. Just before Haruhi sat down, Hikaru looked up and noticed her.

"Haru-chan! Come sit with us!"

She slowly made her way to the table and Kaoru pulled her to sit in between him and Hikaru.

"Haru-chan this is Mitskune Haninozuka, Takashi Morinozuka, and Kyoya Ootori. Sempais, this is our classmate Haruhi Fujioka." He referred to the blonde, the stoic one, and the one wearing glasses respectively.

Haruhi lightly bowed her head. "It's nice to meet you Haninozuka-sempai, Morinozuka-sempai, Ootori-sempai."

Mitskune smiles and jumps across the table to hug Haruhi. "Nonsense, call my Honey," He pointed to Takashi, "and call him Mori!" He started giggling and rolling around on her stomach.

Hikaru and Kaoru smiled, "He's like a little kid. You get used to it."

Honey pouted and jumped into Mori's lap.

"So, you're the honor student." Kyoya stated rather than asked.

Haruhi nodded. "How does everyone know that?"

"Oh I didn't know, I just noticed your attire and that you work in this hovel and figured that no one who could afford Ouran's tuition would work here so I figure you had to be the student who received scholarships."

His observation was more of an insult but Haruhi didn't let it bother her. She knew that she would meet some less than pleasant people going to a school of rich people and she had prepared for this.

"Well, yes, it's true. I was accepted into Ouran through scholarships."

Kyoya smiled slightly and the twins glared at him.

"Don't be an ass Kyoya. Haru-chan is super smart! Don't insult her."

"I was not insulting her. I'm merely making an observation."

"Tell that to the boss."

Haruhi raised her eyebrows in question. "Who is the boss?"

The twins' eyes lit up, "He's the leader of the Host Club. He's the most popular host. He's also the top guy in school. He is top of his class, top of the lacrosse, track, and gymnastics team, the most talented of the music group, the lead soloist in the choir, president of the art club, and he runs half of his family's business. Basically, everyone adores him. He's the prince."

"Of what?"

Their smiles grew larger, "Everything."

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><p>Haruhi came home at dark. Her father was cooking dinner. When she closed the door, she was immediately bombarded with a strong hug.<p>

"Tadaima Otoo-chan."

His hold tightened, "Okaeri, princess."

After he let go, his attention went back to the pans on the stove.

"How was your first day at Ouran Academy?"

Haruhi laughed a bit, "Interesting."

He plated up the food and they ate dinner together. This was the only time during the day besides breakfast that they got to spend together on weekdays and both of them deeply cherished it. There were no distractions and they were able to talk about what happened that day and vent any feelings that may have arisen. Her father was her best friend and she loved the time that they got to spend together because it was so little during the week. He worked the night shift so he normally left before she went to bed. However, he insisted on getting up before her to cook breakfast and dinner even though she told him it wasn't necessary. He said that it made him feel useful. Anyway it was nice to have someone to come home to that was actually interested in how her day went.

Ryoji smiled. "I'm glad that you seem happy about your decision to go there. I was worried you were going to have a hard time fitting in since you weren't rich."

Haruhi shook her head. "No, everyone seemed pretty accommodating. I think I'm going to like it there."

He smiled, "I'm glad. All I want is for you to be happy."

After dinner, Ryoji insisted on cleaning up so Haruhi went upstairs, did her homework, and got ready for bed. Today was a bit rough, but she knew that tomorrow would be better. She would see what this Host Club was about and hopefully meet the Prince.

She got into bed and fell asleep thinking about what tomorrow would bring.

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><p><strong>Questions I Know Are Going To Be Asked:<strong>

**What happened to Haruhi's Mother?: I can't tell you yet, you have to keep reading to find out.**

**Why does Haruhi not want to be feminine?: This relates to her mother's death and once again, I can't tell you that. Read more and find out.**

**Haruhi's father's reaction?: This seems strange I know, but this was his way of staying close to Kotoko. He wears her clothes and perfume and makeup to feel closer to her. He knows that these things touched her and that makes him feel close to her. It was his way of coping with her death and it is part of the story.**

**Why did they grow out their hair?: Haruhi did it as a tribute to her mother. Her mother had very long hair and in order to honor her memory Haruhi refuses to cut hers. She lets it grow longer to remind her of her mother as she used to have short hair. This will not change so anyone who is attached to Haruhi's short hairdo, it's not gonna happen. This is also the one thing that Haruhi allows to be somewhat feminine. **

**Haruhi's father grew out his hair to make himself appear more feminine as well as a tribute to Kotoko. Basically for the same reasons as Haruhi.**

**If you have any questions that this doesn't answer feel free to PM or ask through a review. **


	2. The Prince

**Hey, I would like to give a shout out to all of my reviewers. I got this goofy smile on my face as I read each one and I deeply appreciate them. I also want to thank those who favorited or story alerted this story, I'm glad that you enjoy it.**

**Anyway, this is the second chapter of ANSPC; this is the moment you have been waiting for! Haruhi will meet The Prince in this chapter! I was so excited to write this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ouran Characters or any other part of the anime/manga. **

**I have started on Chapter 3 and if you review I will give you an excerpt from it.**

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><p><strong>Recap:<strong>

_After dinner, Ryoji insisted on cleaning up so Haruhi went upstairs, did her homework, and got ready for bed. Today was a bit rough, but she knew that tomorrow would be better. She would see what this Host Club was about and hopefully meet the Prince._

_She got into bed and fell asleep thinking about what tomorrow would bring._

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><p>The twins stared at her with pleading eyes, their lips formed into a pout that pulled at Haruhi's heartstrings. She was pretty sure that the twins used this look to get anything they wanted. She could just picture them as small children giving their parents the same look so that they could get out of whatever trouble their shenanigans put them in. If it had the same effect then that it was having on her now, their parents must have spoiled them rotten.<p>

"Please Haru-chan. Come to the Host Club meeting with us! It will be so much fun! Please?"

How could she say no to those faces? "Fine I'll come along."

Their eyes lit up like a small child on Christmas morning and Haruhi couldn't help but smile. She loved to see them happy. They were the only two she talked to at school and she was glad that she hadn't chased them away. They were like little children with their enthusiasm and it reminded her of her father. Even though they insulted her appearance at every given opportunity, they were the closest thing to friends that she had at this school.

She smirked as she thought about their reaction when she walked into class this morning.

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><p><em>Hikaru and Kaoru glared at her as she made her way to her seat.<em>

_Both of them frowned, "You've got to be kidding me."_

_Haruhi looked down. She had put on a black polo shirt, a pair of jeans, and a pair of sandals. Her jean jacket hung off of her shoulder and her hair was tied in its usual bun. She knew she didn't look good but she didn't think she looked terrible either. She looked normal, and that was all she was trying to accomplish. She still didn't understand why the twins took such an interest in her fashion style._

"_What's wrong with it?"_

_They scoffed, "What's not wrong with it? Your shirt is three sizes too large and the color makes your pale skin seem sickly. Your jeans are worn, too long, and too big. I don't understand how you have managed to keep them from falling from your waist. Your hair, while very healthy is hidden in that bun you pin it into everyday. I want to see you wear it loose one day. Your shoes look like they are going to break any second. Don't even get me started on that jacket. It looks like you took it from your father's closet."_

_Little did they know this was her dad's old jacket. He wore it all the time before Okaa-chan's death. It was warm and she would need it when she walked home from work tonight._

_She wasn't used to being criticized for her clothing. Most people just looked at her and ignored it or would mumble their opinion under her breath. She had never been confronted about it before and she couldn't help but feel a little hurt. They didn't understand why she did this. They didn't understand that she was just making sure that history didn't repeat itself. What's so wrong with that? She looked up at them, "Why do you care what I wear?"_

_They wrapped their arms around her shoulders and leaned into her so both of them were looking into her eyes._

_They both spoke at the same time, "Don't get upset, we care about how you look because we actually care about you Haru-chan."_

_Kaoru smiled slightly, "Besides, our parents are world renowned fashion designers. We can't help but pay attention to the fashion, or lack thereof, around us. It's in our blood."_

_Hikaru smiled, "Besides, you're our friend; we want you to look your best."_

_Haruhi knew that they meant well and she was happy that they cared about her that much even though they had just met her yesterday. She wondered if they were always this friendly. They seemed to ignore the other students in the room._

_She smiled sweetly, "Thank you Hikaru, Kaoru. I'm really happy to hear that."_

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><p>And she absolutely was.<p>

The twins smirked, "Now that you're coming to the Host Club, you'll finally get to meet the Prince."

Haruhi still did not understand why the entire school was so enamored over one person. It reminded her of some kind of cult. The thought that this person had so much power of the entire school was extremely confusing and a bit frightening to her. How can one person be so important? How can hundreds of people be in love with this one person? She was very curious though, what was it about the Prince that seemed to make every student, male and female fall all over him? All she had heard about him had been good and it made her think that he was some kind of god reincarnated and placed in Japan? She didn't even know his real name. She frowned slightly, "Why is everyone in this school so interested in him? Who is the Prince?"

Hikaru smiled, "Well, to start, his name is Tamaki Suoh. Everyone loves him because he is the kindest person we have ever met, as well as the most talented, and the most intelligent. We met him our first week of high school. Kaoru had just come out and everyone treated him like trash because they thought it was disgusting and they hated me too because I was related to him. They spit on us, threw our books in the pond, they even locked Kaoru in the locker room for four hours once."

Kaoru began to tear up at the memory and Haruhi felt the anger pulse in her chest. How could someone do that to Kaoru? He was one of the sweetest people she had ever met. How can someone hurt him so badly?

Kaoru wiped his eyes, "It happened before school. Hikaru had a doctor's appointment so I had to go to school alone. When I got there, two guys from the lacrosse team dragged me to the locker room and locked me in one of the lockers. I was so scared that I scratched at the door until my fingers bled. It wasn't until a teacher walked past the room that someone found me. Even now, I don't like to be in locker rooms and I don't like tight spaces. When Hikaru found out, he was livid but when he tried to fight them, he got detention and that just gave them another opportunity to beat me up while I was walking to the car."

Hikaru growled, "After we realized that they would never stop tormenting us, we didn't let anyone near us and we made sure that no one could tell us apart. Everyone at school knew that I had a black belt in karate and kung fu so if they thought Kaoru was me, then they left him alone. One day at lunch, Tamaki-sempai walked over and asked if he could sit with us. He was captain of the lacrosse team so we thought that it was some kind of joke that the kids were pulling. We ignored him and he sat down anyway. When he did, he started talking to us as if we were best friends. We told him that Kaoru was gay and he just shrugged and kept talking. We weren't used to that reaction so I started yelling at him about trying to get close to us and how it wasn't going to work. I remember telling him to treat us like crap like everyone else and that we were used to it and while I was expecting him to drop the act and attack Kaoru; instead he said something I will never forget.

"_You fall in love with a person's spirit and soul, not their gender. That's the part that matters and if the rest of the idiots in this school have not learned that yet, then I will proudly stand by your side and ram it into their skulls until they do."_

Kaoru picked up where Hikaru left off, "We had no idea how to let anyone into our world and his words completely shocked us. For the next week we tried to make his life hell. Since we couldn't push him away with my sexuality, we were going to push him away with the worst parts of our personalities. We put snakes in his locker, we pushed him into the pond, and we even broke the windshield on his car. Even though we treated him terrible, he would just smile and wave every time we saw him. His reaction definitely came as a shock. Hikaru wasn't ready to let anyone near me yet and I was a bit skeptical myself of his true intentions so we treated him even worse for a few months, hoping that he would give up, but he ate lunch with us every day and even got a kid expelled for pushing me into the pond. After a while, we realized that he was not going to betray us and we slowly started getting to know him. He is one of the most amazing people we have ever met. We still apologize for how horrible we were but he always shakes his head and says that he understood why we acted the way we did and that he holds no grudge because of it. We owe so much to him. He was the first to protect us even though the whole school was against us and we will forever have his back because of it."

Haruhi was definitely intrigued. She had a feeling that Kaoru was gay and now that it was confirmed she couldn't help but be surprised and appalled that the other students would be so awful to him and Hikaru for standing up for his brother. It definitely explained a lot though. The twins seemed to isolate themselves from the other students in class and now she understood why. Even though they treated the twins with respect now, it would be impossible to pretend that Kaoru's torment had never happened. She looked up at them,

"I'm surprised you told me such a personal story but I am so happy that you think I'm important enough to hear it. I'm so sorry that happened to you. I want you to know that I am completely alright with Kaoru's sexuality and I will definitely stand up for both of you if ever necessary."

They smiled, "We may have only known you for a day, but we are great judges of character and we know that you will be our best friend eventually. We might as well get all of this stuff out of the way not. As for the bullying, we thank you for your support but it's not a problem anymore. Tamaki-sempai honored his word." Hikaru snickered, "He definitely rammed a few skulls."

Haruhi smiled, "I'm glad that he went to such lengths to make you happy. He seems like a really great guy."

Kaoru chuckled softly, "Don't tell him that. He is too humble; he'll deny any compliment you throw at him."

She nodded. The twins' story definitely shed some light on the Prince. She was beginning to understand why everyone seemed to worship him. He was a genuinely good person.

They stood up, "Alright, time to go to the Host Club meeting. Come on Haru-chan!"

Hikaru and Kaoru linked their arms with hers and led her to the music room.

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><p>As the doors opened, Haruhi couldn't contain the gasp that left her lips. The room was larger than her entire apartment. The floors were a beautiful white marble that shone like diamonds. Little rays of light reflected off of the crystal chandeliers that hung from the very high ceilings. The walls were a blush pink color that felt elegant rather than feminine. The furniture was plush and luxurious and soft classical music played in the background giving the space a very calming ambiance. It looked like a photograph taken from a room in a palace. She had never seen a room so extravagant. She smiled slightly as she took in everything. This place was absolutely beautiful.<p>

She turned to the twins, "It's gorgeous."

They shrugged, "The boss decorated it."

She raised an eyebrow, he can decorate too? What couldn't this boy do?

Hikaru pulled her further into the room and she suddenly noticed how many people were there. Mitskune-sempai and Mori-sempai were surrounded on a large sofa by a group of girls. Honey was giggling while a girl tickled him and Mori was making tea for everyone. Haruhi didn't exactly know what a host club was or what they were supposed to do, but the sight made her smile. Everyone looked so happy here, so carefree and relaxed. This place seemed like a heaven in the middle of hell.

On the other side of the room, Haruhi saw him. He was the most beautiful boy she had ever seen. Even though he was sitting, she could see that he was quite tall, at least a foot taller than her. His hair was dark and very long. It flowed freely to his lower back and shimmered in the light. His skin was like porcelain and was slightly flushed as he talked with the girls that were next to him. They seemed entranced by him. He was slightly lanky but she could see that he was quite muscular, even with the distance between them. His face was the most interesting however. His eyes were almond shaped and gave away his Japanese heritage, but his nose was aristocratic as though from English royalty and his lips were full and pink, which was not common in Japan. He looked up and met her eyes. She immediately looked away toward the twins. They were smirking.

"It would seem that you have seen the boss. Gorgeous isn't he? His mother was a model."

Haruhi blushed slightly but shook her head. "Don't get any ideas. I'm not interested."

Their smiles grew and they wrapped their arms around her shoulders. "We'll find that out for ourselves soon. He's coming over here."

And they were right, he was walking this way. Haruhi felt her heart beat accelerate. Something about meeting someone who was so famous made her extremely nervous. It made her feel pressured to not embarrass herself. She looked up and tried to smile in a welcoming way even though her stomach was tied in knots. She was pretty sure she looked like she had to go to the bathroom.

He stopped in front of them and kissed the twins on the cheek. "Hikaru, Kaoru, you're late. Did something happen?" His voice sent chills down her spine and made her heart drop into her stomach. It was deep and smooth but also had a raspy quality to it that made her stomach drop. His Japanese accent was strong, but unnaturally so. It almost seemed as though he was emphasizing it.

When they shook their heads at him, his eyes met Haruhi's. His gaze was intent and she couldn't look away if she tried. They were intimidating but striking, like a snake but they were not frightening. "Who is your friend? Is she a customer?"

Hikaru smirked, "Yes, she wanted to meet our best host, boss."

His feature changed almost instantaneously. His eyes softened and his lips parted into a smile so beautiful that Haruhi had to look away. He tilted his head fluttered his eyelashes in a way that was feminine and masculine at the same time. His classic beauty unnerved her and his steady gaze made her uncomfortable. She jumped slightly when she felt fingers on her chin lifting her head to meet his eyes. His eyes were dark but there was a slight undertone of another color. It was strange but she didn't think about it. She wasn't used to other people touching her this way.

"And what is your name Hime?" He moved even closer to her and their faces were an inch apart. Her eyes shot up to meet his. Her mother had called her hime as a child and after she died, the name never failed to remind her of her. Her mother always said that every girl is a princess and I am just one of the few who reminds my daughter of that every day. The name reminded her of her mother's femininity and always brought back memories of her death. She could not let herself fall into the same trap her mother did. She couldn't let her guard down because every boy who looked at a girl like that, or called them names like hime wanted something; something she was not remotely near ready to give. She would not make the same mistakes as her mother. She would not let herself be sucked into some boy like her mother. She would not let that happen to her. Anger instantly coursed through her veins, like a lion on the heels of a gazelle, fierce and powerful. She was breaking that promise right now, fawning over this boy. She would not allow this to happen. She would treat him like she treated every other boy.

She wrenched her face away from him and glared at him in contempt. Who did this guy think he was? Did he expect her to fall over herself to impress him like all of the girls he was sitting with before? She gritted her teeth. Her father had warned her about guys like this one. They were the reason that her mother died. They had taken her away. They had ruined her life.

She growled at him, "My name is of no concern to you. Don't touch me."

He looked taken aback. _Probably not used to girls saying no to him_ she thought to herself.

Hikaru and Kaoru stared at her is shock. "Haru-chan, what's wrong?"

She ignored them and stormed out of the room. She couldn't believe that she had thought so highly of him. He was just another one of those vermin. He may have helped Hikaru and Kaoru during a tough time but she wanted nothing to do with him. She would not get caught up in some boy because he had a pretty face and lots of charm. She would make sure that he never wanted to be near her. She would not end up like her mother. Never.

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><p>Later that evening, Haruhi wanted to punch herself in the face. She had been irrational and blew up on him for no reason. He probably hated her now. She worked in a daze, several pans on the burner at once. She let his appearance cloud her judgment and was completely out of line. She would make sure to apologize to him tomorrow.<p>

Her coworker's voice brought her out of her reverie. "Haru-chan, it's time for you to go on break. You need to eat some dinner. I'll cover for you."

She smiled, "Thanks Hana-chan."

She took off her apron and made her way to her usual table to eat the dinner she packed. As she opened the bento, the bells on the door chimed and she looked up.

There he was.

He looked even better outside of school. His hair was tied in a ponytail that hung over his shoulder and had a slight curl to it. He wasn't wearing his uniform. Instead it was a blue button down and a white cardigan with black jeans and loafers. He looked casual, but professional. His eyes met hers and she was instantly afraid that he would chew her out in the middle of the restaurant. He looked up as though he felt her stare and met her eyes. She braced herself for the glare she expected him to make, the harsh words she knew he would say.

To her complete surprise, he smiled and made his way toward her. Her breathing accelerated. He was going to yell at her in the middle of the café and embarrass her like she probably embarrassed him. It was only fair, but she couldn't keep the panic from rising in her throat. He reached the chair across from her and smiled again.

"Is anyone sitting here?"

Haruhi couldn't speak if she wanted to, so she shook her head.

He sat down and pulled out his laptop. When a waitress asked for his order, he softly replied, "Oolong tea please, no cream, no sugar."

As he began typing, Haruhi couldn't help but look at him. He really was beautiful. There was no other word to describe him. He had the face of an angel and Haruhi had a feeling that boys and girls alike threw themselves at him. He definitely could have any girl he wanted.

She decided that now was as good a time as any to apologize to him.

"Ano, Suoh-sempai.?"

The corner of his mouth turned up and his eyes met hers. "Yes?"

She looked away, "I'm sorry about earlier, I didn't mean to embarrass you or anything. I'm not sure what came over me."

He smiled, "No harm done. I'm sorry if I offended you in any way. I assure you it wasn't my intention. By the way, I detest formality, just call me Tamaki."

She was surprised that he took it so well, but from the story the twins told her, it wasn't so hard to believe.

He stared at her, "Do you work here?"

She nodded, "I'm the chef."

He smirked, "You have my admiration then, I adore the cakes here."

She blushed slightly. The way he spoke made the compliment seem more important than it should have. It made her stomach tie itself in knots.

He began typing on his laptop again and curiosity began to build within her. Hikaru and Kaoru said that he ran half of his father's company. Is that what he was doing?

She gave into her desires and asked him, "Are you working right now?"

He looked up at her through his lashes and her breath caught in her throat. Did he have any idea how attractive he was? His face could be a weapon of mass destruction. His eyes were smoldering.

"I'm always working honey." Haruhi blushed again but tilted her head in confusion.

"Honey?"

He smiled, "When you are in the Host Club for as long as I've been, you call every girl you see honey or sweetheart without thinking about it."

"What exactly does a host do?"

He closed his laptop and leaned on his hands. "Anything and everything. It is the job of a host to keep their clients happy at all times. Life can be absolute hell and it is my job as a host to make them forget about their miserable lives, if only for a second and really enjoy themselves. It is the one place where they can eat what they want, say what they want and do what they want. Being from a rich family myself, I know how restrictive that life can be. It seems the more money one has the more restrictions that comes with it. I created the host club for those that want to have a place to escape from those restrictions and not be known as a CEO's son or a fashion mogul's daughter. They can be whoever they want and there are no consequences."

Haruhi couldn't help but smile up at him. "That sounds amazing. You sound so passionate about it."

He looked at her with an unreadable expression, "I am. It is something that is very important to me. You seem like someone that needs such an escape. You have to remain top of your class to maintain your scholarship and you have to work to make ends meet. I can't say I know what that feels like but I can imagine that it is quite stressful."

She shook her head, "I've been doing it for so long it doesn't faze me anymore."

He nodded, "I understand exactly what you mean. I hardly sleep anymore. Between keeping up my half of the company, school, and all of my extracurriculars, and my personal hobbies, there aren't enough hours in the day."

Haruhi smiled, "It was nice talking to you, but my break is over. Maybe I'll talk to you tomorrow?"

He shook his head, "Absolutely not, I will walk you home."

She immediately protested but he would not budge. She huffed and made her way to the kitchen. Tamaki was definitely interesting. He seemed to be busy all the time and just hearing all of the things he does made her feel tired. How can one person handle all of that and still be so nice at the same time? Maybe he is some kind of god reincarnated. She looked through the window at him typing on his laptop and smiled. She could definitely see why everyone fawned over him. He was charming, kind and intelligent. She knew that she needed to be careful around him. She could definitely fall for someone like that and that was not part of the plan.

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><p><strong>This seemed like a good place to stop. As always, PM me about any questions.<strong>

**Leave me love.**


	3. The Beginning of The Fall

**Hey guys, guess what? I'm back! Ha, but seriously, I just finished typing this just now. I was going to write more but you guys have been waiting so patiently for the next chap so I decided to stop it here and give you guys what you wanted. Our beloved Tamaki is in this chapter and it picks up where the previous one left off. The dress that Haruhi wears in this chap is on my profile if you want a better picture of what it looks like. **

**Just like before, if you review, I will PM you a sneak peak of the next chapter. That's everything I have to say I think so I'm going to leave you to the chap.**

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><p>After the amount of customers died down, Haruhi hung her apron in her locker and changed her clothes. She walked into the room and realized that Tamaki was still there. He was completely serious about walking her home. As she made her way to him, he smiled.<p>

"Thank you for letting me walk you home. I would feel much better about it if I was there with you. I don't like the thought of a girl like you walking alone at night."

Haruhi scoffed, "In case you haven't noticed, I'm sure nothing would happen to me. I'm not exactly the most attractive girl that will be walking the streets."

Tamaki moved closer to her and met her eyes, "You're wrong. You may think that you are fooling everyone with your lack of effort regarding your appearance, but I can see right through it. I can tell that you are attractive and I'm sure I'm not the only man that can. Besides, when a woman is beautiful, nothing can completely hide it. I will walk you home for your sake and my own peace of mind."

Haruhi felt as though her entire being was shaken. Can people really see through this? All of those times she walked home alone, could they tell that she was pretending to be unattractive? Was danger really much closer to her than she had originally thought? Was the possibility of ending up like her mother still there? The thought of it made her extremely scared.

She looked up at Tamaki with gratitude. She was so rude to him and he was willing to protect her from a threat she didn't know she had. "Arigatou Tamaki."

He shook his head vehemently, "Do not thank me for something every man should do."

She donned her coat and followed him outside.

"So Fujioka-san, tell me about yourself."

She looked at him, "There isn't much to tell."

"Nonsense, what is your favorite type of music."

She smiled slightly as the memory of her mother playing piano played in her mind. She was wearing a green sundress and her hair was long and curly down her back. Her fingers moved gracefully as she smiled while her daughter and husband danced around the room to the music. She began to stand as she got into the song and lightly sung the lyrics she created to match the song as she watched her family enjoy themselves. Haruhi looked up to her father as he watched her. His eyes were fixated on her and his face had the strangest expression. She didn't understand what love looked like at that age but now she knew what that look was.

"Classical." She looked up to see Tamaki watching her with a strange expression. "What?"

His face softened and he met her eyes with his steady gaze. "You have a beautiful smile. You should use it more often. I bet you have men falling all over you."

She laughed at the idea, "Absolutely not. Men don't like a girl that doesn't want to look pretty. I don't want men falling over me. I want them to not even notice me."

He looked like he wanted to ask why but thankfully he dropped it. "Why classical?"

She smiled again, "It's expressive and soulful. Anytime I hear it, I feel something. Sad, uplifted, even angry. I always understand how the composer was feeling when they created it. I like that even though it is centuries later than when it was first played, their music allows their thoughts and emotions to be timeless."

He nodded, "I feel the same way, do you play?"

"No, I am just a fan."

He looked at her and smiled, "Perhaps I shall play for you sometime."

She smiled at him, her eyes lighting up. "I would love that."

He chuckled slightly at her enthusiasm. "Alright, it's your turn to ask me a question."

"What's your favorite thing to do?"

He smirked, "Believe it or not, I love to cook. I've been doing it since I was little and would watch the chef prepare my father's meals. I wanted to learn and he taught me any chance he got. He is one of my dear friends and I give him days off anytime I can."

She had never seen him as the humble type. Sure, she knew that he was kind but she didn't think that would apply to the people he was raised to see as the help. The thought that he treated them so well made her warm in an unusual way. However, the thought that he was having an effect on her disturbed her and she pushed any unwanted reactions to the back of her mind. "What's your favorite dish?"

His expression was far away and she knew he was in the middle of a memory. His lips curved into a smile, but then morphed into a scowl so harsh that she shivered. It was the strangest transition of expressions. His small somewhat shy smile was so beautiful on him that it burned her eyes, but that scowl was so intense, so filled with unbridles hatred and anger and contempt that it made chills run down her spine like tiny spiders slinking down her back. His entire face seemed to morph as well from angelically beautiful to a sort of demonic creature. His eyes narrowed to slits and darkened to black, his mouth flattened to a thin line and became so tense that she was worried that it hurt. This face frightened her more than anything she had ever seen in her life. He honestly looked as though he was going to murder someone and the thought that someone she thought as so kind could be even remotely capable of such a thing was absolutely terrifying. Such an expression seemed so strange on his face. However, it was gone as soon as it appeared and he turned to her with a smile that instead of appeasing her fears only worried her more. This smile was completely false, she could still see the barely repressed anger swirling underneath like a cloud of black smoke, choking any and all that was light and carefree. Haruhi learned something very important in those few seconds. Tamaki Suoh was the most lethal person she had ever met. He was kind and sweet and definitely a very good person but, if he were ever threatened or felt that he needed to protect himself, she was very frightened for whoever faced his wrath. If one quick look had this much of an effect on her, she was afraid of what he would do if he were ever truly angry. The thought made her shudder.

"Shrimp tempura."

She tried to cheer him up, the frightening scowl still burning behind her eyelids. "I happen to make the best tempura you've ever tasted."

He smiled a smile so beautiful that Haruhi had to look away. His teeth shone in the moonlight, absolutely perfect in every way, his eyes brightened and his skin glowed as if a candle were just under the surface. This boy sure knew how to work a facial expression. He went from being angelically beautiful to demonic and hellish to inhumanely beautiful all in the span of five minutes. He was confusing in the most interesting way and Haruhi couldn't deny that she wanted to know Tamaki inside and out. He seemed like the most complex puzzle she had ever had the pleasure of seeing "Is that so? You will have to make it sometime."

She nodded. He must have no idea how gorgeous he was. That smile will be the death of her and mankind. It should come with a warning.

It was interesting how he made something that seemed so simple seem so important. She wondered if that was intentional from being a Host or if that was just the way he was, to treat everything that was positive as though it were the best thing to ever happen to him.

Her home soon came into view and she turned to him, "Thank you for walking me home. I really appreciate it."

He shook his head. "Like I said, don't thank me for something that every man should do. Goodnight honey."

When he said honey, his voice became impossibly silky and Haruhi felt the blush rise to her cheeks. It was as if he was saying goodbye to his girlfriend rather than a girl he just met. He really would be the death of her someday.

"Goodnight."

She walked inside but watched out of the window until he was out of view.

This man would definitely make things difficult for her at school. He was too perfect. Smart, handsome, kind, talented, and charming. There was nothing wrong with him that she could see and the thought that she might be falling for him scared her a little bit. She didn't want to get hurt and she didn't want anything to complicate her plans. She would have to be careful around him and make sure that she doesn't allow him to worm his way into her heart.

When she turned around, she found her father staring at her with a knowing look. "And who was that Haru-chan?"

Her father had always been very overprotective of her and after her mother died, that only intensified. Any time he thought that a boy was showing interest in his daughter which in a normal person's eyes was anytime a boy was within a foot of his daughter, he made it his mission to nip it in the bud before she got hurt. In his mind, all men were scumbags that ultimately wanted to hurt his Haru-chan and he was not going to allow anything to happen. Haruhi thought it was sweet and always let him have his way. She was glad that she had someone that cared about her so much.

Haruhi smiled, "Don't worry Oto-chan. He was just walking me home. Something about how he would feel bad if he didn't."

He sighed in relief, "Good, I thought I was going to have to take matters in my own hands. Now come here, I need a hug."

He pulled her into his arms and squeezed the life out of her.

"So Haru-chan, how was school?"

She told him everything about the Host Club and her first conversation with Tamaki. She also told him about their conversation at the café.

Ryoji smiled, "I'm glad you chewed him out honey, he seems like the type that isn't used to being told no."

Haruhi shook her head, "I don't think so dad, he seemed very humble and kind. I think I just jumped to conclusions with him. Anyway, I think you two would get along."

He scowled, "Why do you think that?"

She smirked, "Because you both have some strange and unnecessary need to protect me. Besides he is nicer than you think."

She told him about how he helped Hikaru and Kaoru.

He nodded, "Well, I still don't trust him. Be careful Haru-chan."

"Alright Oto-chan. I'm going to go to bed."

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><p>"Haruhi, what happened yesterday? You just bit the Boss' head off and stormed out."<p>

Hikaru and Kaoru were staring at her with confusion and anger. They didn't understand what happened yesterday when Haruhi met Tamaki and they wanted answers. They saw him as a father figure and to see Haruhi treat him so callously slightly offended them.

Haruhi guiltily stared up at them through her lashes, "I'm so sorry guys. I don't know what came over me. I assumed that he was a womanizer out to get me but I know that isn't true now. Forgive me?

They looked at each other for a moment then turned to her and smiled. "Of course we forgive you. Now we can move on to more important things like your terrible outfit. Really Haru-chan, are you _trying_ to embarrass us?"

Today she wore a red button down and green cardigan with her favorite pair of trousers. All of it was a size or two too big and her shoes were worn. She looked up at them and shrugged. "You guys know that I don't like to worry about my appearance."

Kaoru glared at her shirt, "But you look like a Christmas disaster. What made you think those colors go together?"

She tuned them out as they further ridiculed her outfit. She was going to have to tell them about her mother soon. This routine was definitely getting old. Maybe once she told them they would lay off the insults.

The twins still had no idea about what happened to her mother and why she dressed the way she did. She wanted to tell them but she didn't think the time was right. The last thing she wanted was pity and she felt that the moment she told anyone about what happened, she would be pitied.

They shook their heads and put their arms around her. "Will you come to Host Club today?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I'll come." Because she had left in such a hurry yesterday, she didn't get a chance to see what the Host Club was all about. She wanted to see everything that Tamaki told her last night. The escape from reality, the comfort, and the enjoyment the hosts take in pleasing their customers. She wanted to know if the Host Club was really as majestic as he made it sound.

When class ended, Haruhi followed the twins to the abandoned music room. The interior, however, looked completely different. The marble floors were covered with something akin to grass and the walls were covered in murals that looked like a meadow of flowers during a perfectly sunny day. The room was filled with picnic blankets and food. Hunny and Mori sat at a blanket with three other girls and were making tea, Kyoya sat at a blanket near the corner, typing away at his laptop.

Kaoru frowned, "Hey, where's the Boss?"

Mori looked up, "His grandmother paid him a visit." Even though his words were mundane enough, Haruhi felt like there was something else meant with that sentence.

The strangest thing however, was the reaction of everyone else in the room. The carefree aura was instantly shattered and replaced with barely repressed anger and contempt. Even the twins looked murderous. Something about Tamaki's grandmother was not right.

"Is that a bad thing?"

Hikaru merely shook his head slightly, "Let's just say that the Boss has a lot to deal with right now. This isn't our story to tell."

Haruhi frowned, what's going on?

She stayed with the twins the entire time and watched them with their hosts. It really was exactly how Tamaki described it to her. Everyone looked so relaxed and carefree; it was really nice that there was a place where they could do that without fearing any repercussions.

She felt two arms wrap around her shoulders, "Haru-chan" the twins said in a sing song voice.

She didn't look up from the book she was reading. "Yes?"

Because she wasn't looking, she didn't see the mischievous smile that took over their faces. "We have a surprise for you."

She still did not look up, "What is it?"

Before she could react, she was picked up and taken to another room. She kicked and screamed and threatened bodily harm to them if they did not put her down. They did eventually and she glared at them with all the anger she could.

The shrugged, "Calm down, geez, for someone so small you can hold a lot of mean in that look. It's kind of scary. Anyway this is part of our surprise."

They pulled out a large box with words in what looked like French. She took it and looked up at them in confusion?

"What is this?"

They smiled, "Clothes, our mom was getting rid of her latest collection to make room for the new one and we saw this and thought it would be perfect for you. Put it on!"

She glared at them, but knew that she couldn't turn down such an expensive gift so she walked into the dressing room and did as she was told. It was a dress made of a silk like material and it felt a little tight on her waist but then it flared out and flowed to the floor. At the top two bands of fabric tied in a sort of triangle that went over one shoulder to the back. It was beautiful and she absolutely loved it.

"Thank you, but what is this for?"

They smiled, "We would like you to be an honorary member of the Host Club! Naturally that would imply that you would have to wear what we give you every time you come here."

She frowned slightly. Could she handle being feminine for a few hours? She wanted to make the twins happy but she didn't think she could do this dress justice. However, when she looked up and saw the twins' hopeful expressions, she knew she couldn't say no if she wanted to.

"Alright, but only while I'm here. Nothing more."

They nodded enthusiastically. "We have to do your hair and makeup now."

She shook her head, she created a monster.

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><p><strong>I have loved every review I have gotten so far and I would love more! Please tell me what you think, your feedback inspires me to write faster.<strong>


	4. Code K

**Hey you guys, sorry for the long wait but a lot has happened in the last few months. I graduated high school, got into college and I start in a little over a week. I am both extremely excited and absolutely terrified of college. For those of you in or done with college, please ease my fears? Anyway, I know I haven't updated in a while but this chapter took a while to come to me. I hope you enjoy it just as much as the other chapters. Please tell me what you think.**

Haruhi stared out of the window as the twins had their way with her hair and makeup. Part of her was upset with herself for giving in so easily on an issue she was so passionate about but another part of her was happy that she could please them. The twins' childlike behavior was something she cherished as it reminded her of her father. While she knew that the twins had had anything but a sheltered life from hate and cruelty, they managed to remain somewhat innocent from the harsh reality of the world. Haruhi may have only known the twins for a little while, but she knew that she would fight tooth and nail to ensure that said innocence remained intact. They reminded her of a small child that while being spoiled, still was not accustomed to getting what they wanted. Whether that was true could be debated but whenever she gave in to them, they treated it as a rare gift that they may never get again. It was definitely infectious and Haruhi loved to see the smiles on their faces.

She felt the pins being taken from her hair and when her hair fell down her back she felt blinding, all encompassing fear. She didn't think that she could handle this. She wanted to keep the twins happy but the feeling of her hair down her back reminded her of how her mother wore her hair. She could feel her heart beating harder, faster. She suddenly couldn't breathe. Her lungs tried to grab hold of the air that was around her but it slipped like sand through her fingers. She couldn't see clearly. Sheer panic raced through her veins and she was helpless to its crippling effects.

She knew that she was being completely irrational, but she had not had her hair down in public since her father explained to her how her mother died. She couldn't bear the thought of following in her footsteps. She was all her father had. She couldn't be another person he had lost. She tried to calm herself but the more she thought about it, the more restless she became.

The twins immediately noticed, "Haru-chan, what's wrong?"

Hikaru kneeled in front of her and grabbed her face. "Haruhi, sweetie look me in the eyes." His voice was low and silky; it immediately began its work, slowly eliminating the panic racing through her veins. Her wheezing breath slowly disappeared.

Hikaru stroked her cheek and held her gaze. "It's alright Haru-chan, deep breaths in and out. There you go. You are safe here; I won't let anything happen to you."

Haruhi completely believed him. She swallowed loudly, her throat dry, "I know. I'm sorry about that."

Haruhi shook his head before she could finish, "Haruhi, don't ever apologize for being scared you hear me? I'm just glad I was here to help you through it."

And help her he did. He must be used to dealing with this, she thought.

As if he read her mind Hikaru frowned slightly. "I've gotten a lot of practice trying to calm Kaoru down during a panic attack. Being left in that locker for so long really shook him up and whenever I closed a door on him he nearly lost it every time. I started learning how to calm him down whenever they happened."

Haruhi nodded.

"We can stop now if you are uncomfortable. I'm not going to force you into doing this."

Haruhi shook her head before she could think. "No, I need to do this. I may not like being feminine but I should be able to handle it for a few hours. I just thought that I preferred being unattractive, I didn't know that I was terrified of being attractive. This is good for me, strange, but good."

The twins stared at her for a moment, to ensure that she was telling the truth and continued their work.

"We're done."

Haruhi stood slowly and walked toward the door leading to the music room. Before she could reach it, the twins grabbed her again.

"Wait Haru-chan, don't you want to see yourself?"

She shook her head, "I think I need a while to get used to feeling this let alone seeing it."

They nodded and let her go.

When Haruhi walked back into the room, there was a brief moment of complete silence. She shied away from the stares she felt burning into her flesh. This kind of attention made her feel slimy and sick. She steeled herself against it. Her reaction was irrational and she needed to adjust herself to this. She moved toward Honey and Mori and sat down.

The moment she did Honey jumped into her lap and moved his face closer so it was an inch away from hers.

"Ooh, Haru-chan you look so pretty, like a princess!"

She couldn't hide the blush on her face. She definitely wasn't used to getting compliments.

"Um, A-arigatou Honey-sempai."

He just giggled and jumped back into Mori's lap where he nuzzled into his clothes. Mori met her eyes and nodded once.

"You look nice."

She smiled slightly as she opened her mouth to thank him, the doors burst open.

Tamaki walked into the room with the grace of a true aristocrat. The room fell silent for several moments and Haruhi could definitely understand why.

Tamaki looked more beautiful than ever. His hair was a mess of curls that fell to his lower back. As he moved they fell over each other and slid over his shoulders as though they were living entities. What shocked her more however, were his eyes. They were a striking shade of blue purple that took her breath away. He looked almost completely different from how he normally looked but Haruhi thought that this look suited him more.

She couldn't look away from him, his eyes drew her in like a moth to a flame and she couldn't understand why his eyes had such a strong effect on her now when they hadn't in the past. Is it just the change in color? Even as she asked herself that question she knew that it wasn't true. This color seemed to match him so much more than the dark brown, was he wearing contacts?

Across the room, those eyes met hers and she felt a chill run down her spine like a spider with a hundred legs. He began walking towards her and she couldn't breathe. Why did this boy have to be so beautiful? Does he not have this effect on anyone else but her?

He stood in front of her now, more beautiful than anyone had a right to be. His eyes held hers hostage, she couldn't look away from them even if she wanted to. She could see something in them, something scary and intense but she couldn't comprehend what it was. They were so bright; it reminded her of a cat or a snake.

"Haruhi, you look absolutely stunning."

His voice was different too, raspier yet smoother at the same time, the sound of it made her shiver. How could he have no idea the effect he had on her? Is he really that oblivious?

She tore her eyes away from him, her cheeks flushing at the compliment. He used to same tone of voice that he used last night, the one that made whatever he said so much more important than it really was. He was so unerringly charming; it's no wonder that he had the entire world wrapped around his finger.

"A-a-arigatou." Her voice cracked slightly and only made her blush harder.

Something in his entire demeanor changed instantly. His body straightened and it felt as if he grew even taller in seconds, he seemed to tower of her now, even though nothing had really changed. His body seemed to tense and relax itself simultaneously, like a feline. His strong jaw became more prominent and his eyes just _changed._ She couldn't describe the look in his eyes. It was similar to the look a tiger makes when it notices prey is nearby, a sudden pique of interest or awareness. She couldn't explain what was happening but Tamaki was acting as though he just happened upon the most intriguing thing he has ever seen.

He smiled and it only confirmed her theory, this smile was different than the others. His teeth were still just as beautiful but they looked almost lethal. Their appearance had not changed at all but Haruhi felt uneasy around them. This was not a smile; Haruhi thought to herself, it was more of a baring of teeth. The kind of thing a lion does to remind its prey that resistance is futile. His eyes still lit up but in a way that worried her. They looked predatory, savage-like. Haruhi felt like a defenseless bird right now and had no idea how to turn the situation into something she was more comfortable with. Because he was so close, she noticed two small holes on the sides of his smile, had she not paid close attention she would have thought they were dimples but they were small scars, from what she had no idea. Part of her felt a strange sense of relief in finding a small flaw in the Prince but another part of her was frightened of what that could mean.

"What brings you to the Host Club today, Hime?" His voice grew even silkier, even raspier. There was something else there too. A strange accent mixed in with the Japanese. She couldn't decipher what it was but it made her inwardly swoon.

Haruhi tried to gain her bearings but Tamaki was somewhat intimidating at the moment. She didn't feel in danger around him but something was definitely off and it worried her.

She was reminded of the night he walked her home. The image of his scowl was burned into her mind like a brand. He had looked so scary that Haruhi felt frightened. Not necessarily because she thought that he would hurt her. No, she may not have known Tamaki for very long but every fiber of her being was certain that he would never hurt her in any way. She was frightened for whoever caused that expression. She was frightened of what he would do to that person, what that scowl meant he was capable of. It shattered her perception of him as the perfect prince of Ouran Academy. Before then, she had compared him to the romantic interest in a romance novel, chivalrous, disarmingly attractive, kind, sweet, basically everything most women would want in a man. After that, however, he became the man that chased after a woman who was resistant to his charms. He slowly worked his way into her mind with his disarming charm and wit and slowly broke down her walls and earned her attention. He became the dark and brooding character that every women wished to have, the forbidden fruit that most can never resist.

Kyoya walked over and patted Tamaki on the back, "We have some business that we need to attend to."

Like the flip of a switch, Tamaki was back to normal. It happened so quickly that Haruhi questioned whether it had truly happened at all. Tamaki was such an enigma; she had no idea what to think of him anymore. She did know one thing though; whatever he was thinking about while he was smiling at her was something that she was definitely not ready to face.

Tamaki looked up at Kyoya and frowned, "Code K?"

Kyoya smiled apologetically, "I'm afraid so."

He looked at Haruhi, "I'm sorry for anything that happened, I have a strange medical condition that is similar to sleepwalking but it happens during the day. My subconscious is a cocky son of a bitch and whatever I said or did to you I apologize."

Haruhi nodded "It's okay, nothing happened." This was yet another flaw to add to the prince. It definitely helped her see him as a person and not as a god reincarnated to both please and torture every woman on Earth.

**I really would like to hear some things about college life and how to survive in a place where you don't know anyone. This has been something I've been worried about since I graduated. As always, leave me love and tell me what you think of the chapter. **

**I love my readers so much. You guys are the best and I couldn't ask for anything better.**


	5. The Adventures of Kai

**Hey guys. First off, don't kill me for not updating in so long, I have valid reasons**

**1. I started college and the interior design program at my school is very intensive and I am in the honors program, the step team, and two clubs (all while taking 17 credit hours each semester). In short, I am busy just about from when I wake up to when I go to bed.**

**2. I need to sleep and talk to people or I will be grumpy and lonely (not the best combination you see)**

**Soooo, I found a bit of time in the schedule from hell and put this bad boy up for the best readers in all of fanfictiondom (yeah, it's a word now)**

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><p><strong>On another note, I have been reading your reviews and I just had to give a shout out to them:<strong>

**Bloodonthetypewriterkeys**

**Otakuprincessluna**

**sierraSkye**

**ANimEisAweSOmE4400**

**Jordi Aran**

**Ecchi Blanket**

**Guest**

**HazyA**

**Neko Airie**

**You guys are the best brand of fantastic and I am so grateful that you took the time out to write a review. **

**My followers and favoriters also get a shout out from moi. **

**I definitely have the best readers on fanfiction. Thanks guys for indulging my hobby.**

**This was going to be a lot longer but I decided to split it up. ENJOY!**

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><p>After the encounter Tamaki retreated to one of the back rooms for a few hours with Kyoya and when he returned his hair was bone straight and his eyes were a dark brown once again.<p>

Haruhi has been on full alert since the "Code K" incident in Host Club. Anytime Tamaki came near her, she always wondered which version of him she was seeing. Was it the princely host, the kind yet flawed boy who ran his father's company, or was it the arrogant and intimidating version? She didn't understand what had happened with him but she hoped that she never met his "subconscious" again. His eyes were sending messages that Haruhi was not prepared to deal with. The twins, of course, found the entire encounter hilarious and spend every waking moment reminding her of it.

"_Hahahahaha! Oh Haru-chan you should have seen your face! You looked like a little bunny that got spotted by a lion!" The twins were laughing to their hearts' content at Haruhi's expense_

_She glared at them, "I don't see what's so funny. He was acting weird and I didn't know how to react to it!"_

_As she spoke the twins fell from their chairs and were now rolling on the floor._

_After laughing for several minutes, they sobered up and smiled at Haruhi. Kaoru was the first to speak. "Honestly, you did remarkably well for your first time dealing with Kai. He is really intimidating."_

_Haruhi tilted her head in confusion, "Kai?"_

_Hikaru nodded, "It's what we call Tamaki's subconscious. We gave him another name because he is so different from the Prince that we felt he was another person."_

_Kaoru smiled softly, "Don't be too embarrassed about how you reacted though. My first experience with Kai was much worse I assure you."_

_Haruhi wanted to respect his privacy but she was dying to know what happened. Luckily for her, Kaoru elaborated._

_It was about a month after me and Hikaru joined the Host Club. I had a huge crush on Tamaki at the time:_

"_Kaoru, I love your outfit today!" The girls squealed._

_Kaoru blushed. He still wasn't used to receiving compliments. Since Tamaki's little stunt on his bullies, everyone has been nice to him. I guess being friends with the Prince had its perks. _

_The theme for today was Punk. Kaoru was put into very tight leather pants that he almost couldn't breathe in and a long sleeved shirt that had cuts all the way down the sides. He felt uncomfortable in it, but he didn't let it show. _

_He smiled, "Thank you ladies, you are looking especially beautiful today as well."_

_He fought to keep his eyes from rolling when they squealed again. Why did girls feel the need to squeal like pigs? He never understood that. _

_A few minutes later, Tamaki walked in the door, hair disheveled and curly. Kaoru felt his heartbeat pick up. Why did he have to be so gorgeous? He smiled, "Hi boss, how are you?"_

_Tamaki turned his gaze to him and Kaoru almost fainted from the heat he found there. Tamaki looked like he was going to eat him. Kaoru's stomach tightened in anticipation._

_Tamaki smirked and walked slowly toward him. His body moved like a panther, gracefully and sensual, like he was caressing the air. His eyes seemed more exotic, slanted with long lashes and filled with more heat than one person should have the right to possess. Kaoru had never seen Tamaki like this before. Maybe he returned his feelings? Kaoru's mouth went dry with the thought. He had fallen in love with Tamaki the moment he stood up for him. Hikaru thought that it was just because he was the first guy to pay him any kind of attention but Kaoru knew that it was more than that. He was in love and Tamaki might return his feelings. He was elated. _

_Tamaki reached his table and smiled, his perfect teeth flashing in the light. "I am doing much better now that you are here gorgeous."_

_Kaoru almost spit out the tea he was sipping. His eyes widened, he couldn't even hear the girls squealing behind him, and he only had eyes for Tamaki._

"_Y-y-you t-hink I-I'm g-..?"He couldn't even say the word._

_Tamaki moved closer to him and turned him around toward the girls. He pressed his body to his back and moved his arms to circle his waist. He rested his head on his shoulder and pulled him in closer. Kaoru could feel the proof of his _appreciation_ on his lower back. _

"_Everyone does. Ladies doesn't Kaoru look sexy?" Tamaki moved his hot gaze to the girls and they squealed again but Kaoru hardly heard a thing, his heart was beating too loud in his ears._

"_Yes, Kaoru looks really hot!" Tamaki nodded slowly, his hair tickling Kaoru's body all the way down his back. He should _not _be this turned on right now. These pants would hide nothing. _

_Tamaki moved his lips to ear, "I think you are the sexiest thing I have ever seen. If we were alone right now, I would fuck you senseless. I can't wait to hear you scream my name. I bet you are stunning when you come."His hands slid down his sides, calluses catching on his bare skin to rest on his hips. As he said come, one hand moved back to grab his ass._

_Kaoru shrieked in shock and turned around. "T-Tamaki, I – I don't know what to say."_

_Tamaki smirked, "I have that effect on people."_

_He pulled Kaoru into him and kissed him. Not a peck, a full kiss. His teeth softly bit down on Kaoru's lower lip and pulled it into his own mouth. Kaoru fought back a moan at the feeling. His pants were painful now. Tamaki only kissed him harder and moved an arm around the small of his back. He pushed forward until Kaoru was parallel to the floor and claimed his mouth. He moved his other hand to Kaoru's ass and squeezed. Kaoru couldn't hold back his moan this time and he blushed because it was so _loud._ Tamaki smirked in the kiss and released his lips. He slowly straightened and took Kaoru with him. He was in a bit of a daze_

_Tamaki's smirked widened and he pulled Kaoru in for one last toe curling kiss. "You are an amazing kisser gorgeous. I'll see you later." He winked and walked away._

_Kaoru could barely breathe. That was his first kiss. That was also the hottest thing he had ever felt. After he cooled down a bit, he felt sheer happiness spread through him. Tamaki returned his feelings! He fought a squeal of his own._

_Finally, things were going his way._

"I followed him around like a lovesick puppy for two weeks before he figured it out. He never remembers what he did while he was Kai so he had no idea why I was so clingy. He didn't understand until I tried to kiss him after school. He asked me to repeat everything that happened."

"_Kaoru, that wasn't me. I am so sorry for what I did. I have a strange condition that makes my subconscious become my conscious for a while. It happens when I am stressed. I had just gotten a call from my father about the company. I'm so sorry I did that to you."_

_Kaoru fought back tears, "So, we're not a couple?"_

_Tamaki pulled him into a hug, "I'm afraid not. I'm so sorry. I know that that was your first kiss, but I want to make it up to you."_

_Kaoru looked up at him, "How?"_

_Tamaki smiled and leaned in. Kaoru closed his eyes in anticipation._

_This kiss was completely different. It was soft and tender. Tears built in his eyes at how loved it made him feel. However, just as soon as it started, it ended._

_Kaoru just stared, "So, are you gay?"_

_Tamaki chuckled, "No. My family is very fluid when it comes to sexuality. If I am attracted to someone, I chase them, boy or girl. I guess if I were to put a label on it, I would say I'm bisexual."_

_Kaoru smiled slightly, "Thank you Tamaki."_

_He smiled, "You deserve the best Kaoru, you have a big heart and one day you are going to find the perfect guy to shower in all of the love I know you have and they will do the same. You are special and don't you ever settle for anything less that the best."_

_Kaoru couldn't hold back the tears this time. He rushed forward and wrapped his arms around him. "Arigatou."_

_Tamaki wrapped his arms around him tightly. "I'm sorry I didn't address this sooner, I've known about your crush for a while now, but I didn't want to hurt you."_

_Kaoru laughed, "No, you handled it perfectly."_

"After that, I got over my crush on him. I may not be in love with him anymore, but Tamaki is my best friend."

Haruhi nodded, Kaoru's story was kind of beautiful. It only reinforced her belief that Tamaki was some kind of god reincarnated in human form. He took a very delicate situation and turned it into something that both parties could agree with and no hurt feelings became of it. It was no wonder that he ran his father's company. Such a skill was indispensable in the corporate world. His employees must worship the ground he walks on.

Haruhi smiled, "Why does every story you tell me about Tamaki make him sound like a character in a harlequin romance novel?"

Hikaru smirked, "Didn't you know Haru-chan? The Prince _is_ a harlequin romance character."

She couldn't hold back her laugh at that. "I'm sure."

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><p>The café was really busy today. Haruhi hardly found time to breathe while cooking all of the orders that were coming in. She couldn't get the story that the twins had told her out of her head. Tamaki handled the situation perfectly. But there was one thing that surprised her. He was bisexual. Has he had a boyfriend before, or even a girlfriend? She couldn't picture him with anyone. She didn't think that anyone matched up to him.<p>

"Haru- chan, you have been cooking for three hours straight. Go ahead and have some dinner. I'll cover for you for a while." Hana said.

Haruhi smiled, "Thank you Hana-chan."

She hung up her apron and grabbed her bento. She made her way to the tables in the front of the café and fought back a smile when she saw Tamaki.

He looked so relaxed. His hair was bone straight and pulled over one shoulder as he typed away at his laptop. He was wearing a tight shirt that accentuated his lithe figure perfectly and a pair of loose sweatpants. He had a pair of glasses perched on his nose. He looked gorgeous.

Haruhi slowly made her way to him. He didn't look up but she felt his awareness nonetheless.

"Can I sit with you?"

This time he did look up. His eyes were dark again. Maybe he really was wearing contacts that day. That purple blue color looked beautiful on him though.

"Of course."

He made to close his laptop but Haruhi protested. "Don't stop on my account. I don't want to distract you."

He smiled and looked up at her from under those inhumanely long eyelashes. Who had eyelashes that long? He had to know that his eyes were lethal weapons on anyone.

"Maybe I want to be distracted."

Haruhi had to take a sip of her tea as her throat went dry at the flirty tone of his voice. Was this Kai?

Tamaki chuckled, "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. It's just that I can afford to take a break. I kind of came here with an ulterior motive. I wanted to talk to you about what happened during Host Club. I'm sorry about that."

Haruhi shook her head, "It's alright. You can't control when it happens. Besides, Kaoru told me his story with Kai and I feel like I had it so much easier."

Tamaki threw his head back, bringing attention to his long neck and let out a laugh that made Haruhi's heart drop in her stomach. How did he make a laugh sound so _sexy_?

"The twins love to tell that story. I can't believe that I did that to Kaoru. I still feel bad about it. I feel like I took advantage of him because Kai knew that he had a crush and exploited it."

Haruhi tilted her head in confusion, "Did you have any feelings for Kaoru?"

He smiled, "Not romantically, I always thought Kaoru was beautiful, but I only saw him as a good friend. Kaoru is too good for me."

Haruhi grinned, "I'm pretty sure no one is too good for you."

Tamaki blushed slightly and Haruhi couldn't help but think that it was the cutest thing ever. "Au contraire, there are plenty of people who are too good for me. That school puts me on a pedestal, I never understood why. I'm nothing special."

Haruhi fought a swoon as he assumed a French accent. Tamaki was kryptonite. She couldn't let herself get too attached to him. There was no way he would return her feelings. He was completely out of her league and she knew it. He was a god and she was a mere mortal who wasn't worth his time.

But why did she want his attention so much?

She was falling for him and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Oh shit.

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><p><strong>This is definitely my favorite story I've written so far as I feel it shows my writing style the best so please tell me what you think! Every comment I get helps me improve my writing skills and make this story (and all of the others I've been doing) so much better.<strong>

**Aislinn Silver Out**


	6. The Fall Ends

**Hey guys, I have found another moment in the schedule from hell to write this for you. I was worried that this happened a little fast but when I read over it again, it makes perfect sense for them (Haruhi and Tamaki have become voices in my head while I write and they instantly approve or disapprove of the events I write and they thought that this was the perfect time for what happens). Haruhi's mother's death will be coming up in the next chapter and she will get a glimpse into the home life of one Tamaki Suoh. I hope you guys like the chapter as much as I do.**

**On a side note, I am thinking of creating a one-shot on the side about Hikaru and Kaoru's experience with Tamaki and Kai, should I do it? Would you guys like to see that? Please let me know because I don't want to write it if you guys wouldn't enjoy it.**

**Anyway, ENJOY!**

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><p>She was right.<p>

Tamaki had managed to worm his way into her heart without her even realizing it. What was she going to do? She couldn't afford to lose sight of why she came to Ouran Academy, why she cannot be distracted by everything that has happened in the last few days. She had a mission and she would see it through. Just thinking about how attached she has become to Tamaki worried her.

His words didn't shock her though. Tamaki was always humble and his thought that he didn't deserve the praise he received was somewhat baffling to her. He was beautiful, the most beautiful boy she had ever seen, smart, and one of the nicest people she has ever met. Of course the school worshipped him.

She merely smiled to hide the gears turning in her mind. "Have you tried to stop it?"

His expression said everything she needed to hear "_Do you really think that would work?"_

She chuckled, "Ok ok, I'm sorry I asked."

He watched her carefully. "Haruhi, why do you work here?"

What? "I don't understand what you mean."

His eyes never left hers, "I know that you are rich like the other students, but I have been here since school ended today and I watched you go back there at 4 and it's been six hours. You've been working here every school day that I've been here. Why do you work so much when you have parents to do that for you?"

Her eyes burned with incoming tears. She didn't want to think about her mother's death. She didn't want to think about her father's face when he found out that his wife wasn't coming home. She didn't want to remember the look in his eyes when he saw her standing there wondering where mommy was.

Tamaki's face softened, "Honey I am so sorry. I wasn't thinking. You don't have to tell me anything."

He immediately stood and moved over to her. He pulled her into his arms and held her in the middle of the café. He smelled like sandalwood and mint and the scent immediately calmed her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and took deep breaths, trying to calm herself.

When she was ready she slowly withdrew from his embrace, not ready to separate from him but knowing that if she didn't let go now, she never would.

He slowly moved back to his seat and watched her face carefully. "I feel horrible Haruhi; I didn't want to upset you at all. I promise I will make it up to you."

The sadness in his voice just made her want to cry again. "No it's fine. I should probably talk about it anyway. It can't be healthy to leave it bottled up."

He leaned his head on his hands and she knew that she had his undivided attention.

She cleared the lump from her throat, "My mom was raped and murdered when I was four."

Tamaki's face morphed into the epitome of shock, "Oh sweetheart, I am so sorry I said what I said, that must have reminded you of your mother."

Haruhi was shaking her head before he finished, "It's okay, you couldn't have known. It hurts to think about sometimes but it has gotten a lot easier to deal with."

After addressing that, another thought popped into Haruhi's mind, "why have you been here so often?"

A deep blush rose on Tamaki's face and Haruhi fought the urge to giggle at how childlike it made him appear. He ducked his head and hid behind his hair in a rare act of shyness that tugged at her heartstrings. She could picture him as a child hiding behind his mother's legs when introduced to someone. Completely adorable.

He smiled sheepishly, refusing to meet her eyes, "I may have been keeping tabs on you. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I knew you worked here and when you told me you walk home I just wanted to walk you home every day so I could have peace of mind. Then it turned into figuring out when your shift started."

Haruhi giggled uncontrollably.

He groaned, "I sound like a creepy stalker don't I?"

She shook her head, "no, more like an overprotective boyfriend."

The moment her words registered in her mind she blushed, "N-not that y-you're my boyfriend or anything."

He smirked and leaned over the table, "Haru-chan, don't you want me to be?" His voice went down an octave and was rich and throaty and instantly she felt hot arousal flood through her entire body. What the hell was that? How was she supposed to answer that?

Before her mind could catch up her mouth decided to embarrass her to the point of pain.

"God yes!"

She slapped a hand to her mouth and blushed harder than she ever had in her life. How could she do that? Now he was going to think she was some fawning fan girl waiting for her chance with the Prince of Ouran Academy. What truly scared her was just how true that statement was.

Tamaki laughed, "You are adorable. I think I might take you up on that offer."

Her eyes bugged out of her head. "What!?"

He smiled at her, "being your boyfriend."

Haruhi pinched her thigh under the table. Things like this just don't happen. Princely gods just don't come up to the plain poor girl and ask to be their boyfriend. Was she being Punk'd?

He raised an eyebrow, "I can see the gears turning in your head. I am completely serious. I have had a bit of a crush on you for a while now. If you really want to, I would love to be your boyfriend."

While her mind was melting into a puddle of goo, her mouth (so sweet and wonderful and totally not embarrassing) saved the day.

"I would love to be your girlfriend."

He smiled softly, "Then it's settled. And if I researched correctly, _girlfriend_, your shift is over and I now have the honor and duty of walking you home."

Haruhi's heart fluttered at being called girlfriend. She never though she would hear that word and just hearing it from this amazing boy in front of her sent shudders down her spine. She knew she would probably go into shock later but right this second, everything was perfect.

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><p>As he walked her home, Haruhi finally felt the shock of the earlier events. She has a boyfriend. What? That was definitely not part of the plan. Even as she thought it she realized that the plan had changed anyway. She has broken all of the rules she put into the plan, acting and dressing feminine and talking to boys. She knew that the plan wasn't broken; it just needed to be fixed to accommodate the changes she has made to become a better person. Just because she is dating Tamaki (squeal!) doesn't mean that she will suffer the same fate as her mother. She would stay careful and make sure that that never happens to her.<p>

Tamaki's words broke her out of her reverie, "Haruhi, are you sure you are okay with this? I don't want to force anything on you and I can wait as long as you need me to."

Any doubt she had about her decision went away with his words. The fact that he was so concerned and read her so well comforted her and she knew that she made the right decision in agreeing to be with him. He already has come to mean so much to her and she would love to continue to get to know him. There was still so much that she didn't know and she couldn't wait to tell him everything about herself too. Yes, she definitely made the right decision.

"I'm sure. I definitely want to be with you, Tamaki."

His answering smile was so beautiful it brought tears to her eyes. "You have no idea how happy that makes me."

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her cheek. She felt no panic with him being this close and that only cemented her belief that he was the perfect guy for her. She only wished he had kissed her where she wanted him to the most.

He pulled away blushing and she could feel a blush on her cheeks as well. He reached for her hand and held it as they continued walking. His hands were slightly calloused and extremely warm. She fought a goofy smile as they walked to her house. How can she get so much joy from something as simple as holding hands?

She was sad to see her house come into view. She didn't want their time together to end.

When they reached her front door, Tamaki looked down at her.

"Haruhi, you have no idea how happy I am right now to call you my girlfriend. I promise I won't screw this up."

In a rare show of boldness, Haruhi replied, "Then I suppose you better kiss me goodnight or you will screw it up."

He chuckled and lowered his head to hers. When his lips touched hers, everything changed. She couldn't focus on anything but him. He cupped her face with one hand and the other wrapped around her waist to settle on the small of her back where it burned through her clothes. She wrapped her hands around his neck and held on tight. His lips began moving and hers followed almost automatically, as if they knew exactly where his were going to go.

Much too soon, he pulled away, his breath as ragged as hers. "You are amazing."

She blushed, "I'm supposed to say that."

He smiled and kissed her again, this time shorter but no less powerful.

"Goodnight honey" His voice took on the same tone it did when he said those words the last time he walked her home. The thought that she actually _was_ his girlfriend now just sent more tremors down her spine. She had to be the luckiest girl in the world.

"Goodnight."

She couldn't resist kissing him one more time before she opened the door.

* * *

><p>She closed it to be greeted by her father, standing in the room with his arms crossed and an angry look on his face.<p>

"Hi daddy."

He scoffed, "don't give me that. Who was that boy you were kissing?"

She smiled, "His name is Tamaki, he just asked me to be his girlfriend."

Ryoji's face softened after seeing his daughter happier than she's been since Kotoko's death.

"Honey, I am happy he makes you happy but please be careful. I can't afford to lose you."

Haruhi hugged her father, "Don't worry dad, I know you will love him. He is perfect."

She withdrew from his arms and went upstairs singing a tune under her breath.

Ryoji smiled sadly, "That's exactly what your mother said."

* * *

><p><strong>Oooohhhh! What a twist! Like I said earlier, I will shed some light on how Haruhi's mother died. (and what the deal is with that lovely cryptic statement Ryoji just made)!<strong>


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